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Teddy Thompson
'''Theodore "Teddy" Thompson, '''born Schroeder, is the son of Hans and Margaret Schroeder, and the adopted son of Nucky Thompson. He has a younger sister, Emily. He is played by twins Rory and Declan McTigue. Biography Background Teddy was likely born in Atlantic City. His father is Hans Schroeder, a baker's assistant of German extraction. His mother, Margaret Schroeder, is a housewife and first generation Irish immigrant. Teddy also has a younger sister, Emily. Hans is a gambler and heavy drinker with a violent temper and is physically abusive to both Teddy and his mother. He continues to be so even after Margaret becomes pregnant for a third time in 1919. ("Boardwalk Empire", "The Ivory Tower", "21") Season 1 In January 1920, Margaret is concerned about Hans being out of work during the winter. She visits Atlantic City Treasurer Nucky Thompson (without Hans knowing) to ask if he can help Hans find work and while he cannot he does give her a cash handout to help her family. Hans is suspicious when she is dropped off near their home having been driven back in Nucky's blue Rolls Royce limousine. She hides the cash under her mattress and lies about her whereabouts for the day. When Hans finds the cash he hits Margaret in front of Teddy and Emily. Teddy is stoic and eats his dinner as instructed by Hans. Hans later goes out and loses the money and is beaten up by Nucky when he confronts him. Hans returns home and severely beats Margaret. She loses her baby and Teddy and Emily are heard crying inside the house. Margaret is admitted to hospital. Nucky later has Hans framed for murder and killed. ("Boardwalk Empire") Teddy and Emily are cared for by a neighbour until Margaret is discharged from the hospital. Margaret goes back to Nucky to ask for help again. ("The Ivory Tower") Margaret serves fried eggs to her neighbour, Edith Mauer, and her children. Emily asks Margaret when her baby will be born. Margaret smiles sadly and tells Emily that the stork must have gotten lost. Alderman Jim Neary comes round with a job offer for Margaret from Nucky. Edith agrees to care for the children while Margaret works at La Belle Femme dress shop. ("Broadway Limited") Margaret listens as her neighbour and babysitter Edith reads a story from the newspaper. Margaret’s children play in the next room. The story concerns the discovery of amnesia victim Anna Anderson who is claiming to be Princess Anastasia Romanov, the daughter of a Russian Tsar whose family were murdered by the Bolsheviks. Margaret likens the story to a fairytale. She objects when Edith tells the children to be quiet and then reads the story to the children. Edith jokes that she is the queen of England when Margaret calls Emily a princess. Margaret asks Edith where her sense of romance is and Edith says it left with her husband. Teddy asks Margaret to read the funny pages and Edith reminds him to say please. Margaret enjoys her own fairy tale experience when she goes to Nucky's birthday party to deliver a dress and enjoys a dance with Nucky. ("Anastasia") The family's sleep is disturbed by bootleggers storing alcohol behind their house. Margaret is scorned by Nucky when she bakes him soda bread as a gift so she sets out to regain his attention. She succeeds by having Prohibition Agents raid a high profile dinner he attends and he makes a late night visit to her house. ("Nights in Ballygran") Nucky offers to take financial care of Margaret and the children. She is initially reluctant but accepts after an altercation at work causes her to quit. Emily, Teddy and Margaret move across town to a lavish three bedroom house. ("Family Limitation") Nucky brings Margaret, Teddy and Emily to see his childhood home. His father has had to move out after breaking his hip and Nucky has given the house to his colleague Damien Fleming who is renovating it. Later. at the dinner table Nucky recites a poem about indigestion; it cautions against germs in food and everywhere else. The children are amused and clap with Margaret afterwards. Margaret offers coffee and Nucky declines. Teddy asks to be excused and Margaret lets the children leave. She confesses regret about what she said in his father’s house, explaining that she took bad advice. She says that it was selfish of her and urges Nucky to feel safe to confide in her. She desires emotional intimacy. Nucky finishes his earlier story about the mitt. His father made him confront the group of four older thieves and they beat him so badly that he was in hospital for 11 days. Margaret says that it is horrible and Nucky observes that life can be that way. ("Home") The phone rings and Nucky answers. Teddy asks Margaret who it is and she tells him that it is a friend of Nucky’s. Eddie is calling to say that Sweeney and his men have finished work on the house. Nucky asks Eddie to pick him up so that they can see it and to invite Fleming to join them. Nucky invites Margaret to join him and she declines, saying that she needs to get Emily to bed for her nap. Teddy asks if he can come and Nucky agrees over Margaret’s protestations that he is busy. Nucky says that they should call him “Uncle Nucky”. Margaret smiles at him as Teddy goes to get his coat. ("Home") Eddie lets Nucky and Teddy out of the Rolls Royce at the newly repainted house. Nucky takes Teddy into the kitchen where Eli is showing Ethan around in a wheelchair. Nucky says that Ethan has seen it and tells them to leave. Ethan is carrying the poker but leaves it on the boiler. Ethan uses his walking stick to stop Eli from pushing him out of the room and venomously tells Nucky that he is worthless. Nucky does not respond and Ethan tells Eli to take him out of the house. A train whistles in the background and Nucky picks up the poker. He notices Teddy reading the side of a can of turpentine. Nucky sends Teddy to wait in the car as the sound of the passing train intensifies. He sprinkles turpentine all over the kitchen and then strokes a match on the door frame to set the house on fire. He watches from the gate as the house is consumed by flames. Fleming pulls up and runs to Nucky’s side, asking him what happened. Nucky gives Fleming his bank roll and tells Fleming to find a better place to live. Nucky gets in the car and Eddie pulls away. Fleming removes his hat, devastated. Teddy stares at the flames through the rear windscreen. ("Home") In June Nucky attends the 1920 Republican National Convention in Chicago, Illinois. While he is away his brother is shot when one of his businesses is robbed. He phones Margaret in the middle of the night and asks her to move with the children to his suite on eighth floor of the Ritz Carlton Hotel. Margaret does as asked. ("Hold Me in Paradise") Season 2 Margaret wakes up in the night, thinking she heard a scream, and checks on Emily and Teddy; they are sleeping soundly. ("Gimcrack & Bunkum") Concerned about Teddy's behaviour, Father Brennan brings his parents in for a discussion prior to his first communion. Margaret and Teddy sit in front of Brennan as Nucky Thompson looks on. Teddy is transfixed by a statue depicting the crucifixion. Brennan questions Teddy about sin and confession. Nucky intercedes to answer a question when Teddy gives the wrong answer and encourages Teddy when he gets an answer correct. Nucky is impatient when the priest brings up hell. He asks Brennan to wrap up the discussion, using the priest's first name. Margaret reminds Nucky that the meeting is Teddy’s final chance to prepare for first confession. Nucky wagers that the three of them can save Teddy’s soul and tells Margaret he will wait in the car. Brennan informs Teddy that at age 7, which Brennan calls the age of reason, he can expect god to judge his actions. Brennan encourages Margaret to have Teddy ready to confess and also asks her to prepare her own confession. Margaret is surprised and the priest tells her that she needs to set an example for Teddy. ("The Age of Reason") Returning home Owen Sleater carries Teddy into Margaret Schroeder’s house as she holds the door open. Sleater deposits Teddy on the floor next to housemaid Katy likening him to a sack of potatoes. Sleater jokes with Teddy that he should get inside before Katy tries to cook him. ("The Age of Reason") A row of parents and children wait beside the confessional at Father Brennan’s church. Margaret and Teddy are next in line; Margaret goes next. Nucky gives Teddy an illustrated Young People’s Bible History with $20 inside to commemorate his first communion. At home again, Teddy is posing for a photograph to commemorate his first communion. Margaret and Nucky look on as the photographer gives Teddy a candlestick to hold. Nucky asks Margaret about her confession but Sleater enters before she answers. Sleater tells them that he will bring the car around to the front of the house, smiles at Teddy and leaves. With Sleater gone Margaret tells Nucky that he does not need to worry about what she said. Lillian brings Emily through to watch, calling Teddy a soldier in God’s army. The picture is taken and the smoke from the flash floats towards the ceiling. ("The Age of Reason") Nucky narrowly survives an assassination attempt and is shot in the right hand. ("Peg of Old") In late June 1921 Emily is unwell with a swinging fever. Dr Surran examines Emily while Teddy eats in the next room. Surran diagnoses a virus and Margaret asks Katy to take the children to Lillian. ("Two Boats and a Lifeguard") Margaret, Nucky and Teddy play a board game while Emily sleeps in her mother’s arms. Teddy’s turn takes him to the Southampton space and he is curious about its location. Margaret explains that it is a large port in England and claims that she set sail for America from there. Teddy hopes to sail the voyage himself. Nucky is transfixed by the painting of a ship in the corner of the board. Teddy has to remind “Uncle Nucky” of his turn. Nucky returns his attention to his family and says that he would like the children to begin calling him “Dad.” Teddy looks to his mother and she asks if he would like that. He says that he would; Nucky reaches out to brush Emily’s cheek and tells her that he means her too. Teddy tries the prompt again; “your move Dad.” Margaret smiles and Nucky agrees that it is. ("Two Boats and a Lifeguard") Emily gets better and Nucky goes on a trip to Ireland. On July 1 1921 Emily is unable to move, or feel, her legs. Dr Surran is called and Margaret, Lillian and Teddy watch as he examines Emily. He passively flexes and extends her right foot and then asks her to attempt the same movement with no response. Surran says that she is doing well and then asks Margaret if Teddy sleeps in the same room. Margaret confirms that he does and Surran asks her to take him out. He says that he will need to examine Teddy too. Margaret asks what his diagnosis is and he ignores the question and instructs her to do as he says. Margaret anxiously instructs Lillian to take Teddy downstairs, and then thinks better of it, telling her to get Teddy out of the house. Lillian wonders where she should take him and Margaret says that it does not matter before deciding on the porch. Lillian does as asked. Emily is diagnosed with polio and admitted to hospital.("Battle of the Century") The following day (July 2 1921) Margaret, Katy and Lillian collect up Emily’s things. Margaret pauses when she finds Emily’s doll on her bed and then casts it into the basket with the rest of the contaminated items. Katy and Lillian wear masks to cover their faces and place the collected possessions on a bonfire outside. Margaret watches from the window with Teddy. Teddy wonders if Emily is going to die like Hans did. Margaret denies this and angrily instructs Teddy not to say it again. Pauleen comes downstairs with a case packed. Margaret asks where she is going and Pauleen apologises. Margaret tries to reassure her that they are taking every precaution. Pauleen says that she has to worry about her own children and leaves. Teddy watches the fire from the window as Emily’s favourite doll is consumed by the flames. ("Battle of the Century") At the Atlantic City Children’s Hospital Nucky, Margaret and Teddy arrive to visit Emily; it is July 23 1921 and her polio has progressed to the point where she is no longer quarantined. Dr Holt greets them in the corridor and Nucky introduces Teddy. Margaret asks how Emily is and Holt admits that she has had a difficult time, suffering from nausea. Margaret wonders why she was not informed and says that she would have stayed with Emily. Holt explains that he appreciates the strain on the family and felt that it was better to allow them to rest while Emily was cared for adding that Emily will need love and patience from her family later. Margaret wonders what sort of time frame he means and Holt defers the question, telling Nucky and Teddy that they can go in to see Emily. Nucky takes Teddy in, urging him to be quiet. ("Georgia Peaches") Once Margaret joins them inside she asks how Emily is feeling and Nucky tells her that she has been missed at home. Margaret shows Emily a doll that she has brought with her and Emily wonders where her favourite doll, Miss Wheatley is. Margaret avoids the question, knowing that they burned Emily’s things for fear of spreading the infection, and tells her that the new doll is Miss Wheatley’s sister. Margaret asks if Emily likes the dolls hair and Nucky says that Emily has prettier hair. Teddy sits at the foot of the bed, feeling ignored by the rest of the family. ("Georgia Peaches") Margaret prepares Teddy for sleep and listens as he recites the prayer “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep”. She asks him to say a special prayer for Emily and he does so. Margaret kisses him and wishes him goodnight. As she leaves he claims that he cannot move his legs. She rushes to his side and checks his temperature and to see if he has any feeling in his legs. As she touches his feet he begins to laugh. She slaps him hard on the cheek, and he begins to cry. Nucky comes in and wonders what happened. Margaret runs out of the room as Teddy cries. Nucky convinces Margaret to let him take Teddy within him on his trip to New York to hire a new lawyer so that she can get some rest. ("Georgia Peaches") Arnold Rothstein and Bill Fallon meet with Nucky in Fallon’s New York offices on July 24 1921. Fallon greets Nucky and says that he has heard only good things. Rothstein jokes that none of them came from him and Nucky plays along, saying that this narrows the list of suspects. Teddy looks at a baseball on the corner of Fallon’s desk. Fallon asks if the boy likes baseball and makes a gift of the ball, telling Teddy that it is signed by Ty Cobb. Nucky prompts Teddy to say thank you but Teddy instead remarks that Cobb is a bad man. Nucky tells Teddy that while Cobb does not like to be crossed he is a good player to have at bat if you are losing. Teddy goes out with Fallon's secretary. ("Georgia Peaches") That night Teddy speaks to Margaret on the phone, holding his new baseball. He answers affirmatively to a series of instructions and then tells her about the ball. Nucky pours himself a cup of tea and tells Teddy that it is time to say good night. He takes the phone and tells Margaret that they will see her tomorrow. He explains who Cobb is, rolling his eyes at Teddy for Margaret’s lack of knowledge. They say goodnight and Nucky hangs up. Nucky observes that Margaret sounded in good spirits and Teddy is non-committal; offering a shrug and a grunt. Nucky sits on his own bed opposite Teddy. He tells Teddy about his own sister, Susan, suffering from consumption during his childhood and needing constant attention from their mother, Elenore. He admits that he and Eli were jealous but knew their mother loved them. Nucky sips his tea as Teddy wonders about his father. Nucky hesitates and then says that they knew their father loved them too. Nucky returns his cup to the room service trolley and picks up a cigarette. Teddy asks if he is in trouble. Nucky replies that he is in a little, with false accusations being made against him. Teddy wonders if they are accusing Nucky of burning his father’s house down. Nucky is surprised and wonders why Teddy thinks this. Teddy says that he saw Nucky and Nucky claims the fire was an accident. Teddy assures Nucky that he will not tell, calling him dad. ("Georgia Peaches") On July 25 1921 back in Atlantic City Teddy retrieves a Havana Ribbon box from underneath his bed. It is filled with mementos including a photograph of the Schroeder family. He looks at the image of his father and then adds the baseball to the box before putting it away. ("Georgia Peaches") Season 3 Nucky and Margaret Thompson plan a lavish Egyptian themed party on December 31, 1922 to commemorate the new year. Margaret marshals her staff to prepare for the party at her house. Emily is recovered from the acute polio but still wearing her leg braces. Teddy overhears a radio story about aviatrix Carrie Duncan and Margaret excitedly tells him that Duncan will soon be the first person to fly across the continent. Teddy comes down during the party and is introduced to entertainer Billie Kent. Later, Nucky and Margaret say goodbye to their guests and Nucky then berates her for taking on another cause (this time pregnant women needing health education). She counters that she does everything he wants and lets him come and go as he pleases. Teddy interrupts the fight to ask if it is the New Year yet. Nucky then leaves for his suite at the Ritz Carlton. On January 9, 1923 Teddy is part of the audience at St. Finbar's Church when Nucky receives the St. Gregory's Award for donating his land to the church. Relationships *Hans Schroeder - Father (deceased) *Margaret Schroeder - Mother *Emily Schroeder - Sister *Nucky Thompson - Step-Father (deceased) *Owen Sleater - Bodyguard (deceased) *Richard Harrow - Former bodyguard (deceased) *Lillian - Nanny *Katy - Maid *Edith Mauer - Former neighbor and babysitter Memorable Quotes Appearances Category:Atlantic City Category:Children Category:Irish people Category:German people Category:Season 1 Category:Season 2 Category:Season 3 Category:Recurring Characters